Travels along the Thamirabarani - Day 3 - Amazing landscapes

Continued from here.

Day 3: 19 April 2023

By Gayathri R

(My comments in italics)

Up and on the road by 620 am.

Vijay had warned that it was a long hot day, and we were all to be prepared.  

We drove through Tirunelveli town - this bus stand caught my eye.

Sheila was in a high state of excitement, as we passed her mother's school.  We had many on our group with Tirunelveli connections - and there was much chatter and nostalgia - Baskaran filling us in about Singampatti zamindar and KMTR, Mr Shankarnarayanan on his love for the Papanasam falls, Raji and her paternal connections to villages in the neighbourhood.

Vallanadu Blackbuck sanctuary

The sanctuary is a dry deciduous forest and the flora includes thorny hardwood and xerophytes: Dalbergia horrida, Dichrostachys cinerea, Vachellia horrida, Acacia planifrons, Albizia amara, Zizyphus. The place also hosts spotted deer, jungle cat, mongoose, black naped hare, scaly anteater(pangolin), vipers and rat snakes and nearly 100 other species of birds are found in the area/

We reached and climbed down from our bus into the searing dry heat, and up to the tower.

  

 

 

 

Thanikai explained the importance of the scrub and how this 16sqkms is like the last and southernmost refuge for the Blackbuck, with a hillock on  one side and the highway on the other.  It is important for such scrub habitats to be preserved, but I did wonder about this isolated sanctuary and what it meant for the population of Blackbuck, cutoff from other populations and inbreeding.

From up there, as we scanned the sanctuary, I saw a beautiful Paradise Flycatcher, a brown shrike, a skulking coucal and a Collared Dove, besides the 6 0r 7 Blackbuck fawns.  We did not spot a male.

Photo by Sagarika - The Blackbuck fawns

The brown shrike - lovely capture by Sheila.  Observe the thorns of the Acacia!

We descended and walked along the perimeter, and of course we menadered.  Some went off to see a little watering hole, I stared at the dragonflies and wildflowers, Shashank vanished into the undergrowth, the boys marched on ahead, and after a while wanted breakfast.

Photo by Sagarika - We saw this Agamid.  I gave it a casual once over and walked on....

Sagarika, on the other hand, the meticulous recorder of all things that move and dont move, took this picture.  Came back and checked - it was a Palm Leaf Fan throated lizard - Sitana visisri - endemic to TN and a not-so-common find. This from the internet - "The Sitana visiri species epithet is derived from the regional Tamil language word for a hand-crafted fan made from palm leaf (also the source of the common name), because the dewlap of S. visiri resembles a local palm-leaf fan."

Many more of the interesting flora and fauna are on iNaturalist, here.

All were picked up from different parts of the track, and a  slightly cranky and hot group got into the bus and headed to the Range Office, where our breakfast awaited.  A few puris later, everyone's spirits were up again!  Hats off to the remarkable team at Atree who kept us fed and hydrated - the age range of our group was from some 10 years to around 70 I guess, and between Vijay's remarkable people management and Thanikai and group, all diverse needs were taken care off!  The drinking water arrangement was interesting - I had never seen this handy little battery operated "pump" that fitted on top of the 20 litre water can, enabling us all to keep refilling our water bottles.  The Range Office also had a set of toilets, and soon we were all set to depart.

There was a Pied Crested Cuckoo at the rear of the campus, which I did not see as I was busy with the puris.  Some others were smarter- they managed the puris and the cuckoo. 

Therikaadu - the red desert.

What an amazing landscape!  I had read about it before our trip, but nothing quite prepares you for the sight - red sand, dunes and searing heat in the middle of peninsular India!

 

Situated close to tiruchendur, and just 15-20 kms from the coast, Therikaadu appears like this huge red Martian area in the middle of TN.

We climbed up dunes like this.

We gathered up around Thanikai, under the shade of a cashew to understand the geology of this place. 

Hrishu was given the taske of telling us what he knew.  Here's how I understood it - the land breezes blowing down the Nilgiris erode the laterite rocks carrying fine sand.  These winds collide with the sea breezes blowing in the opposite direction, and this has caused the red sands to get deposited here over centuries.

The "Aeolian Process" is detailed here.

Now these were just plain sand dunes with nothing growing on them.  But these are shifting sand dunes, which does not suit humans who want to deal with certainty and stability.  So, we have tried to "control" the shifting it appears.  How to prevent the dunes from shifting onto agricultural land?  Wind Breaks and Shelter Belts are being tried, it seems.  The cashews, casuarina and Palmyra are all planted more recently - even Neem has been tried, along with Kodakupuli.

It was too hot to linger on the dunes and we all moved from bush to bush seeking shelter.  i could almost feel the sun dehdrating me, drawing the waters from my body, sucking me dry!!

I tasted cashew fruit for the first time - it was too astringent for my liking, though full of water.

We were all grateful to sink into the bus seats, and turn on the airconditioning as we headed to our next stop.

We made our way to the Arunjunai Katha Ayyanar Thirukkovil which comprises of sacred groves, century old trees, ponds with lots of water birds. 

The sands were red here also - it is the periphery of the Therikaadu.  Thanikai explained how this was a land of "eris"  - lakes and ponds, some as large as an ocean, with some 30 villages around the periphery.  There is no connection between these rainwater tanks and the Thamirabarani river.

The tanks hosted temples and the trees around became sacred groves, protected by the people.

Thanikai explained that the palm trees, Screw pines (kewras) and Barringtonia groves were all very old and made for an interesting array of landscapes. A 400 year old Naval (Jamun) was also around.  And the ponds and tanks were filled with birds.

We saw this large peepul surrounded and protected by stone deities including this Ayyanaar which was quite magnificent.

The Barringtonia roots were stunning, and stood tall along with kewras - roots seen in the picture, indicating the presence of water, even if they were dry in April.

It was very warm and humid, but under the tall trees we were fine.  The road was filled with tamarind trees as well.  Lyra and Neil had discovered an interesting shoe stamping game - interesting for them I mean.  They were keeping score, much to my amusement.  

We came across the mighty Naval as well.  Take a look at the girth of its trunk. I kind of put my ear to the trunk, and took a few deep breaths as i lay my face on it.  Somehow a tree like this always fills me with awe and respect and amazement.  Was it standing and a witness durng the Polygar wars?

At one point, we rounded the corner, and suddenly there were no tall trees, just a long road with large tanks on either side, filled with water birds, standing listlessly in the ponds.  For some reason, at this point my body battery ran out, and I just felt extremely tired and drained.  I dragged myself from tree cover to tree cover, for a bit.  We saw both the jacanas, grey herons in plenty as also Brahminy Kites. 

But the biggest excitement was for the Comb Ducks - recognisable with their larger size, but far away in the distance. (Sagarika's Photo)

The boys pressed on down the road to see what the rest of the pond would reveal.  They were rewarded with Cotton Teals, which I didn't see.

A few of us, including me, took refuge on the steps of this tank under the shade of the trees.  A beeeater kept us entertained with its sorties, on the far left, Coots paddled around and a large grey heron stood stockstill in the midday sun.  (Baskaran's photo)

Lunchtime, came the welcome announcement, and we skulked by the short cut back to the Arunjunai Katha Ayyanar Thirukkovil, where we started.  See the way the temple envelops the Arjuna tree within it.

Mr Shankarnarayan's Picture of the beautiful Ayyanar from the Arunjunai Katha Ayyanar temple

What a beautiful lunch spot it was!  The tank water was clean as was the surroundings.  Once again, lunch plates were opened, bottles were refilled with water, and we ate and cooled off.  My body battery also got recharged.

We used the restrooms, and piled into our bus again, and started on the last leg of our day.  We were travelling East to the sea!  Many of us dozed off - a short ride to Punnakayal.

Punnakayal

At around 3 PM we reached Punnakayal, a small fishing town. This is the place where the river Thamirabarani meets the sea. 

Our boatmen were not available until 4pm, and we had to wait in the little covered shed-like structure.  Everyone kind of wandered around.  The older fishermen were playing some game, which I could not figure.

Boats were coming in with all sort of catch.

We witnessed a quick and efficient auction of this load of octpuses,

as also these mussels, which were being exported to China.  I wondered about the sustainability of this all, but of course I have no idea, and I am hoping the local fisherfolk know better.

Conspicuously absent at this time of day were the women - I did not see a single one.

We were shown the day’s catch along with starfishes, rays, crabs, octopuses and jellyfish.

We sighted Brown-headed Gull, Black-headed Gull and many Brahminy Kites. (This brown headed Gull photo by Baskaran)

 We hired a boat and traversed the sea, estuary and the mangroves. There are four species of mangroves belonging to 3 genera namely Avicennia marina, A. officinalis, Rhizophora mucronata and Acanthus illicifolius. 

We were taken to a small island patch where we walked around and found beautiful shells of sea-urchins, colorful shells and flora unique to the ecosystem. We tasted a small leaved plant which the fisher-folks said would be a bit salty. 

One other interesting behaviour we observed was of a Brahminy Kite. It was hovering above us eating the fish it held in its claws. 

We could see it in close quarters and clicked some good pictures. Other birds spotted on this day was White-eyed Buzzard, Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Great Thickknee, Whimbrel, Western Marsh Harrier and Western Reef Egret.

We returned around 6pm, and witnessed a beautiful sunset as well.

The journey back was long and we reached our stay at 9 PM. We had dinner and some of us (not me!) went for a night walk with Mr. Thanikaivel, escorted by Gingee, the pet dog there. We saw 3 vine snakes, scorpions with it’s young ones, a small white-breasted waterhen sitting on a tree and a Indian Black Turtle along the waterbody. 

Travels along the Thamirabarani - Day 2 - Manjolai, Manimuthar and a forgotten golf ground

Continued from here.

Day 2: 18 April 2023

By Gayathri R

(My comments in italics)

After a good night’s sleep, we started our day early at 5:15 AM. 

This Then Vazhapazham bunch - rapidly vanished across the days we were there, and I plead guilty to eating many of them.

Leaving the campus.

We had Mr. Thanikaivel and Mr. Isakki to guide us along. We were split into groups in 5 cars and set off to Maanjolai, which is around 1162 metres above sea level. 

Manimuthar waterfalls - a beautiful view in the start while climbing the hill.

 

With the goal of finding the Varai Aadu or the Nilgiri Tahr, we stopped at a place where we could see steep cliff faces. Few were lucky enough to spot some movement of the Tahr.

 

Then we halted at another place consisting of the unique wood Savannah forests, which falls under the Kurinji region. Mr. Thanikaivel explained us the different landscapes and how temperature and vegetation changes with the elevation.

 

It seems this region has more than 50 endemic species. We were able to spot Red Spurfowl, Painted Spurfowl and Grey Junglefowl on the roads. Also we noticed Lemongrass planted along the roadside.

There were beautiful trees and a Bellerica as well.

To be identified

Maanjolai is a small peaceful village with rolling tea plantations which was a sight to behold. We had tea and rusk in a local shop. 

 

Photo by Sagarika - of the peacock that insisted on being photographed by all of us, complete resplendent dance as well.  However many times I see the peacock, it never ceases to amaze and astonish.  Goodness!  The colours, the designs, the sheer size! 

Here we spent some time birding in the nearby tea farm. 

We also stopped to see the enigmatic Nilgiri Langurs on a far away tree. Few of us were lucky enough to spot them right out of our car windows on the way back. 

 

Photo by Sagarika - She saw the langurs from the car, I think?  I saw them far away in the canopy but well seen through the binoculars.  This one was obviously disgusted with us...

...this one observed us.  Seemed more philosophical.  The Nilgiri langurs Semnopithecus johnii - are so handsome and majestic.  A joy to watch.  Their habitats are destroyed, and this is the biggest threat to them.  Photo by Sagarika

 

Photo by Sagarika On the way, we saw the Draco/ Flying Lizard on a tree. It seems it glides through trees using their "wing-like, patagial membranes supported by elongated thoracic ribs to generate lift forces." - Wikipedia

There was a lot of time and gesticulating needed before we all saw it, so well camouflaged was it, until it openened the patagium - probably there was a female around.  Many in the group were seeing these agamid lizards for the first time, and we were all awestruck at the spotting by Thanikavel, given how well camouflaged it was - he spotted it from the moving vehicle!  I was even more amazed at those who got photographs of it.

 

 

Kakachi

Our next stop was a place named Kakachi which was a golf ground during the British time. The grassland was surrounded by Eucalyptus trees.

There was a waterbody which hosted a variety of butterflies and odonates.  

More of it, on our return.

A fabulous tree - from the car - what was it?

 

 

 We sighted the Crested-serpent Eagle soaring in the sky.

We crossed Nalumukh and were on the way to Kuthuraivetti. 

 

All these villages had a post-office, ration shop and houses of people working in the tea estates.

 

But at Oothu, we were told some higher authority is coming and we weren’t allowed beyond. So we raced back to Kakachi.  (And in our vehicle Lyra was a very annoyed and indignant little lady, about this turning back - and she made sure that we heard her views, which were all entertaining and endearing!)

And here is an interesting story from Oothu from Indian Chai Stories - 

Catching the evening sun a stream of yellow oozed from the freshly dug earth.  A light drizzle had started, turning the yellow lava into tiny rainbows.  Unmindful of getting wet and the fact that it was time to go home, the militant Manjolai workforce started tearing at the ground with bare hands.  Then using stakes, staves and other implements, which they had brought along to intimidate us, they went into a frenzy turning the earth over to seek for treasure.  I looked across at Sylvester who, with a wry smile, said, “I think we won’t have any more problems finding people for digging.”

Gold coins, with Tippu Sultan’s emblem emblazoned on both sides, spilled from the damp earth.  Amber and mother-of-pearl ornaments too were being unearthed around us.  Soon hurricane lanterns and large sugar gunnysacks appeared and the field began resembling something from out of a fairy-tale.  Workers in bandages descended from dispensaries.  Others in lungis rushed from their homes and many came from as far away as Kutheravetti, the remote outer division of Oothu.  Later politicians and bureaucrats insisted that anything under the ground belonged to the Government of India.  The workers averred.  They said these blessings fell from the sky and, with encouragement from Sylvester, touched my feet.  It was as though I was responsible for their windfall!

Back at Kakachi, and had our lip-smacking packed lunch of Puliyotharai(tamarind rice), Til seeds thogaiyal and boiled eggs. 

It was a picnic lunch like no other - an amazing experience.  Quiet environs, filled with birdsong, sun and our laughter. 

Now, my friend Raji on return, discovered that the yellu thogaiyal was a Tirunelveli specialty - Ulundhu Sadham-Ellu Thuvaiyal is a thing.  Padhu's Kitchen has a recipe - if you are interested  - it is very tasty.

After lunch, we wandered around - Sara and Latha stretched on the grasses, Sagarika searched for her favourite dragonflies, Shashank, well, just wandered off, Chitra led/minded the boys on a nature walk, but she emerged without the boys, having lost them somewhere inside...and I just did some solitary exploring around the bungalow.

 

A grand old tree stood erect, with wildflowers at its base.

One of the said wildflowers.

There was the scat of some creature, which had eaten a whole lot of fruit,

and these speckled leaves added a gorgeousness to the floor. 

We spent good amount of time exploring this place. We spotted the Square-tailed bulbul, Long-tailed Southern Treepie/ White Bellied Treepie, the Racket-tailed Drongo making all sorts of mimics. 

Gayathri has omitted the most important event of the God Knows bird.  Just as the boys emerged from the trees onto the erstwhile golfcouse grasslands, they alarmed a bird (or so I think) that shot out of the canopies, and Aditya in a flash took a picture as it flashed past our group - we were facing the boys and so it appraoched us and vanished behind us in a blink.  It looked tailless, a bit like a moorhen in flight and some ruddyish colour with a greyish head.  What was it, we called out to the approaching boys, they replied, we couldn't decipher their reply, we asked again, they were closer and yelled even louder "God Knows!".  Ah interesting id.  The boys took a look at Aditya's photo, showed the wiser lot and it was identified as the Mountain Imperial Pigeon - a lifer for me.  On return and uploading on iNaturalist, the id was changed to Malabar or Nilgiri Imperial Pigeon - Ducula cuprea, the species has been divided.  Our sighting can be seen here.  

 Sagarika's eye picked up some interesting photos, which can be seen here.  After everyone was found, with much calling out, (Vijay out of sheer desperation even told one of the villagers walking to Kakachi village to send anyone he sees back!)  we bundled back in the vehicles to head down.

We stopped back at the bakery in Maanjolai to collect the tasty rusks ordered. We heard beautiful call of the Iora, spotted wild boars and marveled at the peacock dance which seemed like it had put up a special show for us. Other species spotted were the Malabar Giant Squirrel, Black Eagle, Great Hornbill, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Dark-fronted Babbler and Indian Blackbird. 

Manimuthar dam

People in one of the cars have also seen a monitor lizard crossing the road. The roads were bumpy but we had good chit-chat and fruitful discussions in the car. We hung around at the Manimuthar waterfalls while coming back.

We admired the view and took a lot of pictures!

We also  had a good time touring the inside and outside of the Manimuthar dam. 

 

 Our driver Ajit talked about this end and that end of the dam, finally took us to that end - where we had to climb up these steps to get to the top.  We all made it to the top, and what a view!

 

I wondered what would have been the ecology before the dam?  Was this also scrub? But the scene was calming and peaceful, and we were the only ones up there.

 

The water level was low, and around the edges, grasses grew.  There was a gentle breeze, and somehow we were all shushed.  We sat on the dam wall, each staring around and drinking in the view and the silence.

 

On one side, these cliffs stood, moving into shadow as the sunset.  (Photo by Sagarika)

The sunset was magical, as flocks of cormorants flew past, on their way to their roosting site.  Many of the group had gone down to explore the innards of the dam.  A few of us stayed back and enjoyed these moments. (Photo by Sagarika)

In a few moments, the surrounding mountains were dark and the magic emptied from the sky. (Photo by Sagarika)

(Photo by Sagarika) Overhead, there were atleast a hundred swifts, circling and calling, making some formations, dissolving and making other formations.  Shashank identified them as Little Swifts - it was the first time I heard the Swifts calling, so low were they.  And a pair of Brahminy Kites came and settled on the cement pillars of the dam walkway, probably their night perches.  They did not appreciate our presence, and kept taking off and returning, in the hope that we would leave, i guess.  We did leave thereafter and headed back down and to the cars.

A day well spent, we had our dinner and went to sleep, waiting for another wonderful day. 

Day 3 here.